Only one in 10 drink spiking incidents are reported to police, according to research published today (Wednesday, 20 November) by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University.

Of the 90% who did not report the drink spiking to the police, approximately half said they “didn’t see the point”. The research found that 2.2% of respondents reported having their drinks spiked in the previous 12 months, which is equivalent to around 1.2 million UK adults every year in the UK.

The research was carried out over a two-year period by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University. The report analysed data from the Drinkaware Monitor, a UK wide representative survey looking at drinking behaviours and attitudes, carried out by YouGov. This collected 6,318 responses in 2022 and 10,473 responses in 2023, and venues in Cambridgeshire were also surveyed.

The research found:

- 90% of people don’t contact the police after being spiked and around half of those said it’s because they ‘don’t see the point.’

- 2.2% of UK adults reported having had their drinks spiked in the 12 months leading up to the survey, which equates to around 1.2 million UK adults.

- 11% of UK adults reported being spiked at some point in their lives – 13% of females think they have previously been a victim of drink spiking and 9% of males.

- LGBTQ+ adults are disproportionately affected. Gender and sexual minorities are significantly more likely to report having ever been a victim of drink spiking (18% vs. 11%; 2022 Drinkaware Monitor survey) compared to cis-heterosexual individuals.

- In 2023, more incidents of drink spiking occurred in bars (41%) and clubs (28%) than anywhere else. However, 9% reported being a victim in a private home.

- 14% of respondents who thought their drink had been spiked reported that the incident resulted in physical or mental health issues.

- In addition to the spiking of drinks, 0.7% of respondents said they had been needled in the previous year and 1.4% reported being needled in their lifetime.

- Out of the 28 Cambridgeshire bars and clubs that took part in the survey, CCTV was the most common measure to prevent drink spiking (68%) followed by schemes such as ‘ask for Angela’ (64%) and staff training (64%). However, some venues admitted they didn’t report drink spiking incidents to the police.

Karen Tyrell, CEO of the charity Drinkaware said:

“Drink spiking is a serious crime that can happen to anyone at any time. With our survey indicating more than a million people could be having their drinks spiked every year, it is important that they can feel confident reporting it to the police.

“That requires collective responsibility between the police, businesses, local authorities, charities and wider society, so that everyone knows what to do and reports of spiking are taken seriously.

“If you are worried you have been spiked, it’s really important that you report it to the police and get appropriate medical care straight away.”

Dr Agatha Grela, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry at Anglia Ruskin University and Co-Investigator of this project, said:

‘’Contrary to popular belief, drink spiking victims are not just young women on a night out. The data shows that drink spiking can happen to anyone, anywhere, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or age. There is a lot of stigma around falling victim to drink spiking – it is never your fault; and we need to focus on shifting the responsibility to the perpetrator.’’

Dr Lata Gautam, Associate Professor in Forensic Science at Anglia Ruskin University and Principal Investigator of the project, said:

‘’By studying national-level Drinkaware Monitor data on drink spiking incidents, conducting a survey of venues to explore their current initiatives, and analysing drinks and urine samples—in collaboration with Cambridgeshire Constabulary— we have gained a unique insight into the scale of the issue in the UK.

“It is clear that an integrated and multi-faceted approach is needed, including public awareness campaigns, highlighting what to look out for and the importance of reporting cases to the police, as well as greater education for venues such as pubs, bars and clubs, to help ensure that everyone’s night out is as safe as possible.”

Download the full report here:

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/research/research-and-evaluation-reports/drink-spiking-report

If you are worried, you can find out more on our website: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice-and-support/help-to-support-someone-else/drink-spiking-and-date-rape-drugs#whattodoifyouthinkyouvebeenassaulted

Notes to Editors:

Drink Spiking

A person’s drink can be spiked to make them more vulnerable for a variety of motives, including theft or sexual assault. Different types of spiking can include the following substances being added to drinks:

- Alcohol

- ‘Date rape’ drugs

- Illegal drugs

- Prescription drugs (e.g. stimulants, tranquillisers, sedatives, opiates)

Spiking a drink - whether with an extra shot of alcohol or another substance – is a serious crime. Anyone that does it could face serious criminal charges, and it can have very dangerous consequences for the health of the person whose drink is spiked.

Spiking a drink with the intention of making someone more vulnerable to assault, rape or robbery is an even more serious offence. Having sex with someone without their consent is always a crime – no matter what the circumstances are. Assault, rape and robbery all carry additional sentences. Find out more at drinkaware.co.uk

Drinkaware Monitor

Every year Drinkaware commissions a UK representative survey to find out who’s drinking how much and why. This is done in conjunction with Yougov.

2023: The Drinkaware Monitor UK wide sample of 10,473 adults aged 18 to 85 were interviewed, including 6,948 in England, 1,302 in Wales, 1,565 in Scotland and 658 in Northern Ireland

2022: UK wide sample of 6,318 adults aged 18 to 85 were interviewed, including 3,692 in England, 1,013 in Wales, 1,001 in Scotland and 612 in Northern Ireland.

Population Figures Methodology

The population figures are based on Drinkaware’s own extrapolations from the data. There are 53,646,829 adults aged 18+ in the UK based on the mid-year population estimates 2022 and 2.2% of that is 1,180,230.

About Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) transforms lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU is the UK University of the Year (Times Higher Education Awards 2023), holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), and has been named University of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards.

ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields, delivering impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world-leading.

With main campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Writtle, we are the largest provider in the East of England of undergraduates employed in the health and social work sector, and one of the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the country.

About Drinkaware

Drinkaware is the UK’s leading alcohol charity which aims to reduce alcohol harm. We achieve this by providing impartial, evidence-based information, advice and practical resources; raising awareness of alcohol and its harms and working collaboratively with partners.

Contacts:

Matt Jackson

Head of Media & Communications

Tel: 07814 497908

Email: mjackson@drinkaware.co.uk

Jon Green

Senior Press Officer

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)

Tel: 07766 070 693

Email: jon.green@aru.ac.uk

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